lip swatches

MAC Heroine Lip Pencil ($15.00 for 0.05 oz.) is described as a “bright purple.” It’s a magenta purple with a matte finish. I’m not as familiar with lip pencils as I am with other lip products. I don’t have it, but from what I remember, MAC Magenta should be somewhat similar–perhaps a bit purpler, rather than as red as Heroine. If you know of any potential dupes, feel free to sound off in the comments!

It had excellent color payoff, even in a single pass, and it applied mostly evenly. It was the creamiest of the four pencils released in Fashion Sets, but it’s not my favorite lip pencil formula just because it pulls and drags on the lips. I usually save lip pencils for the end of a swatch session, because they’re rather rough on lips. This was the last shade I swatched from the collection, and it really was creamier than the others. It is a really good match for the lipstick, though, and if I had to say they differed in any way it would be that the pencil pulls redder. MAC’s Lip Pencils wear like iron normally, but they’re uncomfortable and drying over time–underneath a lipstick, I don’t experience these issues, but alone, I can’t wear them without paying for it later.

The Glossover

The formula is easiest to use if you're only lining the outer edge of lips, but if you want to fill them in entirely, it's best used underneath a more opaque lipstick (and preferably, one that is slightly hydrating!).

Where to Buy

Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.

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MAC Heroine Lipglass ($15.00 for 0.17 fl. oz.) is described as a “bright purple.” It’s a magenta purple with violet and pink pearl. It reminded me of a more pigmented MAC Revenge is Sweet. MAC Athena’s Kiss is the most comparable shade I could think of, but it’s not quite as bright or as pink. On lips, it looks a bit fuchsia, and depending on how naturally pink/red your lips are, it may look even pinker.

It yielded semi-opaque color coverage–it added quite a bit of color but there was translucency so the natural lip color came through. It applied somewhat evenly but was hard to maintain without lines of demarcation showing up (say, if you pressed your lips together). The texture is tacky, slightly thickened, and I typically get three to five hours of wear with MAC’s Lipglass formula (I will be testing the wear of these shades over the next few days and will make updates as necessary).

Where to Buy

Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.

Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!

It has very rich color payoff, but there’s a very slight translucency where a hint of the natural lip color comes through–unless you have really, really naturally pigmented lips, it’s not going to interfere with the color, though. A benefit of the lightweight, translucent nature of the product is that it doesn’t look heavy, like a richer, more opaque cream-finish shade might. This shade had some slip to it, so it was both creamy and balm-like. It glided on evenly and without pulling or tugging on the lip, and it left a natural sheen behind. Vibrant Mandarin was lightly hydrating, wore for five and a half hours, and left behind a very slight stain (not quite as prone to staining as the other shades I’ve reviewed). Because this one had added slip to the consistency, it did have a tendency to leave lines if I pressed my lips together, but luckily with the bolder color, they were less noticeable than if this had been a very pale color.

The Glossover

It has very rich color payoff, but there's a very slight translucency where a hint of the natural lip color comes through--unless you have really, really naturally pigmented lips, it's not going to interfere with the color, though.

Where to Buy

Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.

Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!

Illamasqua Shoot Intense Lipgloss (£14.00 for 0.20 fl. oz.) is described as a “leaf green.” It’s a brightened, medium grass green with warm, yellowy undertones and a creamy finish. It will surprise absolutely no one that I don’t have a laundry list of dupes for this shade. That, in fact, I have none to recommend to you. OCC’s Chlorophyll is much more of a teal shade. (And their newer Power Plant shade is more teal as well.)

Shoot is a high-maintenance color, because it’s in gloss form, it has a lot of slip and will move around a lot. I found this particularly problematic in maintaining and achieving opaque color throughout. It just looked uneven more often than not. To get really opaque color, you have to apply a fair amount of product, but with that much on, it is somewhat uncomfortable–just has a thick, heavy kind of feel. Luckily, it is non-sticky, so it doesn’t feel gummy, even with more product applied. I tried applying it from the tube with its brush-type applicator as well as with a separate lip brush. The results seen in photos are used with a separate lip brush, which gave me the best results but not great results. It lasts well for four hours, and there is still a noticeable green tinge to my lips for another hour or so after. It had a sweet, fruity scent. I’m still noticing that every tube I’ve received of Illamasqua’s Intense Lipgloss with the brush applicator has had significantly splayed bristles.

The Glossover

It's not an easy to use shade; the color doesn't want to stay opaque and ends up looking streaky and uneven for the majority of the time it is worn. It's an interesting, unique color for lipgloss, which is really the best thing about.

Where to Buy

Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.

Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!

This is one of the more “subdued” shades from the range that I’ve tried, though it is still a bright, vivid shade. It’s not quite as neon in color, so for some, it may be more wearable as a result. Hot Plum had very nearly opaque color payoff–there’s a hint of translucency (but the trade off is that it doesn’t look heavy on the lips) but it looks rather opaque. The consistency is lightweight, slightly creamy, and is comfortable to wear. It had less slip compared to the last few shades I’ve reviewed, but it didn’t pull or tug on the lips when I applied it. Hot Plum wore for six hours and left a lingering stain behind. I found this shade neither hydrating nor drying.

Where to Buy

Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.

Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!

It is rich in color with very nearly opaque color coverage (the way it lies on lips gives it a subtle translucency that keeps the color from looking heavy on the lips). There’s a slight glossiness to the color because of its lightweight, creamy consistency that has some slip to it. It glides evenly over the lips without pulling or dragging. Shocking Coral wore for six hours, and it did leave behind a soft stain for another hour or so. The lipstick was comfortable to wear, and it was lightly moisturizing when I wore it.

The Glossover

If you've ever bemoaned a lack of pigment in drugstore lipstick formulas, then you have to check out Maybelline's Vivids range, because lacking in pigment they are not--nearly full color coverage and long, comfortable wear!

Where to Buy

Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.

Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!